Michael Dease is one of the world’s eminent trombonists, lending his versatile sound and signature improvisations to over 200 recordings and artists as diverse as David Sanborn, Christian McBride, Michel Camilo, and Alicia Keys. Born in Augusta, GA, he played the saxophone and trumpet before choosing the trombone at age 17. In 2001, Dease moved to New York City to become part of the historic first class of jazz students at The Juilliard School, earning both Bachelors and Masters degrees, and quickly established a reputation as a brilliant soloist, side musician, and bandleader.

Best Next Thing (Posi-Tone, 2022), Dease’s newest release, his ninth on Posi-Tone, gathers together an assemblage of exceptional musicians to help him interactively explore the essence of the blues and reframe the abstract truths of jazz as the “Best Next Thing” for today’s audience of listeners.  Critical listeners agree that this is possibly Dease’s most excited recording to date, and awarded a coveted 4 star review in the featured HotBox in DownBeat Magazine.
Dease, the winner of the 69th and 70th Annual DownBeat Poll for Trombonist of the Year and multi-Grammy award winner as a member of the Christian McBride Big Band, is also a sought-after lead and ensemble trombonist with today’s leading jazz orchestras. His experiences include bands led by Christian McBride, the late Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton, Charles Tolliver, Rufus Reid, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Rodney Whitaker, and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band. However, it is on the frontline of quintets and sextets led by master musicians like The Heath Brothers, Winard Harper, Renee Rosnes, Bill Charlap, Claudio Roditi, and Lewis Nash, where Dease has revitalized the trombone’s image. Not content to simply improvise, Dease arranges and composes for many different bands, constantly adjusting his tone and timbre to add just the right flavor to the music.

Dease’s unique blend of curiosity, hard work and optimism has helped him earn worldwide recognition, including awards from JazzTimes Magazine, ASCAP, The International Trombone Association, Yamaha, Eastern Trombone Workshop, New York Youth Symphony, Hot House Magazine and The Airmen of Note, among others. Dease was profiled in Cicily Janus’ book, The New Face of Jazz: An Intimate Look at Today’s Living Legends (Random House). His experience in the studio has led him to produce several recording sessions for emerging artists, often creating original compositions and writing liner notes for the releases on his D Clef Records label.  

Dease’s singular talent has made him an effective and prolific teacher, resulting in invitations, master classes and residencies at institutions such as the University of North Texas, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Brevard Music Center, CSUN Northridge & Fullerton, Temple University, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, UNC- Boulder and many schools abroad. He serves as Professor of Jazz Trombone at the renowned Michigan State University jazz program, where he has been awarded the MASU Distinguished Professor of the Year and the MSU Teacher-Scholar Award.  He has also been on faculty at Queens College – CUNY, The New School and Northeastern University. Many of Dease’s current and former students have released acclaimed recordings,  received international recognition and are enjoying successful careers in the music world with artists like Michael Buble’, Bruno Mars, Revive Da Live Big Band, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and the Downbeat award-winning Ulysses Owen’s Big Band.

Always an informed, but forward-thinking musician, Dease learned the craft from trombone legends Wycliffe Gordon and Joseph Alessi. His associations have run the entire spectrum of musical experience: Alicia Keys, Paul Simon, Paul Schaffer and the CBS Orchestra, Elton John, Neal Diamond, Illinois Jacquet, Slide Hampton & The World Of Trombones, Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, WDR Big Band, George Gruntz, Billy Harper, Andy James and numerous others.  Dease channels this experience into his love for Jazz Education, serving as Artistic Director of the Jazz Institute of Brevard Music Center (North Carolina) and Faculty Leader at the Seiko Summer Jazz Camp (Tokyo). Michael Dease also teaches at the Skidmore Jazz Institute and the JALC Summer Jazz Academy.

Dease enjoys spending time with his extraordinary wife and Professor of Percussion at MSU, Gwendolyn Dease, and their daughters Brooklyn & Charly. Michael Dease is a Yamaha Performing Artist and plays Yamaha trombones exclusively.  Dease also plays Vandoren Reeds and Mouthpieces, Pickett Brass Mouthpieces, and uses Gard Bags for his many instruments.  

Gwendolyn Dease is professor of percussion at the Michigan State University College of Music. Dease is passionate about educating the next generation of young musicians. She regularly gives master classes at universities throughout the US and abroad and is currently on the faculty at the Brevard Music Center. She has served on the faculty for the Filarmonica Joven de Colombia and the Interlochen Arts Camp.

Dease began her musical career very early, studying piano and violin at the age of two. As a percussionist, she has maintained a career as an active solo, chamber, and orchestral musician. She has performed solo and chamber recitals throughout the United States, Asia and South America. Dease is passionate about new music and has participated in consortium’s to commission new works from composers such as Rufus Reid, Alejandro Vinao, Peter Klatzow, Paul Lansky, Martin Bresnick, John Serry and Roshanne Etezady. She is currently principal percussionist with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra. She has also performed with the Detroit Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, the Solisti New York Orchestra, the Grand Rapids Symphony, Lansing Symphony and the Traverse Symphony Orchestra.

In January of 2012, Dease was a recipient of the Michigan State University Teacher Scholar Award. She was the winner of the Keiko Abe Prize at the second World Marimba competition in Okaya, Japan, and the top prize winner at the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts’ ARTS competition. She was awarded the performer’s certificate from the Eastman School of Music and has also been the recipient of the Outstanding Young Musician award from the Peabody Conservatory and the Yale Alumni Award.

Dease’s impressive discography includes four solo CDs: “Marimba Suites” released in October of 2007 on the Blue Griffin label; “Boomslang: New Works for Marimba” released on the Blue Griffin label in October 2012; “Idle Fancies” released on the Bridge Records label in December of 2015 and “Beguiled” released on the Origin Classical Label in October 2016. Her collaborative projects include “Textures” (Percussion Chamber Music by Paul Lansky) released on the Bridge Records Label in August 2014 and “In the Shadow of No Towers” (The Phillip Glass Double Timpani Concerto) released on the Naxos Label in November 2013.

Dease has studied with world-renowned professors Robert van Sice, Keiko Abe, and John Beck. She holds degrees from the Interlochen Arts Academy, Eastman School of Music, Peabody Conservatory, and the Yale School of Music.

“He’s reamplifying the tradition of jazz piano and he’s lifting up a legacy that’s the foundation for many people” –New York Times. Accomplished multi-instrumentalist Luther S. Allison has set himself apart as one of the most in-demand artists in jazz today. Forging a path on both piano and drum set, Allison cemented himself as one of the leading voices of his generation. The Charlotte, North Carolina native is recognized for his blues-based, gospel inspired playing with deep roots in the tradition of bebop and soul music.

Upon completing his B.A. in Studio Music and Jazz from the University of Tennessee and M.M. in Jazz Studies from Michigan State University (both degrees with focuses in drum set and piano) Allison began a consistent touring career on both instruments supporting the likes of Jazzmeia Horn, Helen Sung, Samara Joy, Rodney Whitaker, Etienne Charles, The Baylor Project, and Ulysses Owens Jr.

Allison’s debut album, I Owe It All To You, was released on Posi-Tone Records, highlighting his noteworthy arrangements, compositional prowess, and exceptional skill as a pianist. Rated 4.5 stars by Downbeat, the album was described as “a portrait of a straight-ahead pianist who seems to have no weak points in his arsenal” –Downbeat. Allison is also featured as a sideman on numerous projects – notably the GRAMMY Award Winning single, Tight, supporting vocalist Samara Joy.

Allison is a distinguished touring artist who has taken the stage at notable venues such as Village Vanguard, Dizzy’s Club, Birdland, Kennedy Center, and Blue Note Milano. He has also been featured at renowned jazz festivals including Newport, Monterey, Detroit, Washington DC, North Sea, Umbria, Marciac, and Jazz A Vienne.

In addition to his work as a bandleader and sideman, Allison is a consummate educator and curator – having operated as Adjunct Jazz Faculty (4 years) and Chair of the Percussion Department (2 years) at The Calhoun School in New York City. He has also served on faculty for numerous summer intensives, particularly the Brevard Jazz Institute and the Stanford Jazz Workshop. Allison has worked in conjunction with the National Jazz Museum in Harlem as a Curatorial Fellow where he assisted the organization by programming and curating events in the museum for an entire calendar year. Moreover, Allison has curated and music directed performances for the Louis Armstrong Museum in Queens, New York.

As a composer, Allison has already begun to leave an indelible mark, leading to him being commissioned by Wynton Marsalis to compose an original work for the esteemed Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Allison was also commissioned by Jazz at Lincoln Center to music direct and arrange the Sacred Works of Duke Ellington – initially featured in Dizzy’s Club and later expanded for the Appel Room. Alongside his achievements as a musician/composer/music director, Allison is featured as both an actor and recorded musician on Maggie Gylenhaal’s upcoming film The Bride, contributing on screen along with several recorded tracks for the film score.

Luther Allison is a proud YAMAHA artist.

Nathan Borton is a Colorado-based jazz guitarist rooted in the rich traditions of Midwestern bebop and blues, with origins tracing back to Wichita, Kansas. A dynamic performer and recording artist, Borton has shared stages and studios with luminaries like Rodney Whitaker, Michael Dease, Janis Siegel, and Diego Rivera, and has graced prestigious festivals nationwide, including the Detroit Jazz Festival, Five-Points Jazz Festival, and Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival.

In 2022, he released his critically acclaimed debut album, Each Step (OA2 Records), produced by Randy Napoleon. Praised by icons like Michael Dease and Howard Paul, the album soared into JazzWeek’s Top 100 radio charts, cementing his place among jazz’s rising stars. Some of Borton’s accolades include three DownBeat Awards (Best Engineering/Production, 2023; Best Graduate Jazz Soloist and Live Engineering/Production, 2019), the 2020 Paul Carr Discovery Act Award with the Sencalar/Glassman Quintet, and back-to-back honors at the Wilson Center International Guitar Competition (2018 Finalist, 2019 Top 3 Winner).

An impassioned educator, Borton is pursuing his Doctorate at the University of Northern Colorado. He has taught at Aquinas College, Hope College, and Michigan State’s Community Music School, while mentoring at renowned programs like the Brevard Jazz Institute and Spectrum Music Camp. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he launched a YouTube channel that blossomed into a global jazz education hub with over 30K subscribers and 2.5 million channel views, collaborating with elite educators such as Jens Larson and Christiaan Van Hemert to inspire students worldwide.

Nathan is a proud endorser of Benedetto Guitars and Stringjoy Strings.

Lisa Burn is a music educator based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Ms. Burn, originally from Wilmington, North Carolina, studied Trumpet Performance at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA. Upon graduation she joined the Winnipeg Symphony in Canada as Utility Trumpet. While there, she developed a private trumpet studio and began working as a brass clinician for music educators. In 2003, she accepted a position as Director of Bands at Franklin Academy in Wake Forest, North Carolina (teaching elementary, middle and high school band) where she developed both the concert and jazz band to levels of distinction; the Franklin Academy Jazz Band was recognized as the most Outstanding Band of the 2009 High School Essentially Ellington Regional Competition at UNC Chapel Hill.

Since 2012, Ms. Burn has helped build the Triangle Youth Philharmonic Jazz Program and is currently the Director of the Triangle Youth Jazz Orchestra. Alumni of the Triangle Youth Jazz program have continued to pursue their jazz studies at Juilliard, New England Conservatory, Michigan State University, William Paterson University, UNC- Greensboro, and the Peabody Conservatory. In 2019, Ms Burn was honored to participate as a guest director with Ligon Jazz Ensemble’s performance at the International Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic; Ligon Jazz Ensemble is the first jazz ensemble to represent North Carolina at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. Most recently, Ms. Burn served as the clinician for the 2021 North Carolina All State Middle School Jazz Band.

Currently, Ms. Burn maintains a successful private brass studio, with students placed in district, all state, all national ensembles as well as continuing their music education at Arizona State University, Indiana University, Peabody Conservatory, UNC Greensboro and UNC Chapel Hill. Lisa Burn serves as a music education clinician for the Triangle area and engages as a freelance trumpeter, performing as Principal Cornet of The Triangle Brass Band. Ms. Burn is excited to begin her new journey as Director of the Wiley Elementary Band and looks forward to the opportunity to maintain the Wiley Band tradition.

“By age 32, Emmy-nominated trumpeter and singer Benny Benack III has proven to be that rarest of talents: not only a fiery trumpet player with a stirring command of the postbop trumpet vernacular in the vein of Kenny Dorham and Freddie Hubbard, but also a singer with a sly, mature, naturally expressive delivery in the post-Sinatra mold, performing standards and his own astute songs with a thrilling sense of showmanship. This duel-threat ability was recognized by the 2023 Downbeat Critics Poll where he appeared as not only the #2 Rising Star Male Vocalist, but a top Rising Star Trumpeter as well. His superb intonation and bracing virtuosity enable him to handle astounding feats of originally composed vocalese (complex solos with written lyrics). On top of it all, he’s a highly capable pianist as well.

Benny has performed internationally as an Emcee/Host for the Youtube sensation Postmodern Jukebox, and achieved his own viral success amassing millions of views for his crooning alongside the Grammy-award winning “8-Bit Big Band”. In early 2020 he released A Lot of Livin’ to Do, the follow-up to his well-received 2017 debut One of a Kind. This sophomore effort, richly varied in mood and brimming with bop inflection, features bassist extraordinaire and Jazz ambassador Christian McBride (whose Grammy-award winning Big Band frequently calls upon Benny in the trumpet section) and drummer/producer Ulysses Owens, Jr., as well as the radiant Takeshi Ohbayashi on piano and Rhodes. His vocalese duet on “Social Call” from this album alongside fellow young star vocalist Veronica Swift became an instant smash hit single, being transcribed and learned by Jazz vocalists around the world. His latest album “Third Time’s the Charm” features many stars including Peter Bernstein, Emmet Cohen & Bria Skonberg and was just released in June 2023 to critical acclaim and chart-topping success.”

Saxophonist, Multi-Reedist, Composer, Recording Artist, Bandleader and Educator Sharel Cassity (pron.”Sha-Relle”) is a musician well established on the New York and Chicago jazz scenes. Listed as “Rising Star Alto Saxophone” in Downbeat Magazine for the past 9 consecutive years, Sharel has appeared on the Today Show, won the 2007 ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award & has been inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. Her four albums released as a leader have received top rated reviews in publications like JazzTimes, Jazziz, Downbeat, and American Indian News and earned her a cover story in Saxophone Journal. Cassity’s latest album “Evolve” was recorded with her new band ELEKTRA and appears on her record label, Relsha Music.

Selected to attend The Juilliard School Jazz program under full scholarship in 2007 for her Masters in Music & holding a BFA from The New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music, Cassity is a skilled and versatile sideman who is a regular member of the Dizzy Gillespie Afro Cuban Experience, Nicholas Payton’s TSO, Cyrus Chestnut’s Brubeck Quartet and the Jimmy Heath Big Band. She also performs regularly alongside renowned Grammy winning artists Roy Hargrove, Lewis Nash, Joe Chambers & Darcy James Argue. Sharel has toured 24 countries and performed at leading venues like the Newport Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival & the North Sea Jazz Festival. Additionally, she has shared the stage with Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis & the Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Natalie Cole, Rufus Reid, Gregory Porter, Slide Hampton, Maceo Parker and Terrence Blanchard. She was lead alto in the Diva Jazz Orchestra from 2007-2014 and performed in the Broadway musical After Midnight.

In mainstream genres Sharel joined Top 40 hit singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant on her 2015 CD/ DVD recording & has also performed with are Aretha Franklin, Vanessa Williams, K.D. Lang, Fantasia, Trisha Yearwood, Seth MacFarland (Family Guy), Ruben Blades & DJ Logic. Cassity performed in a 2013 ESPN Super Bowl commercial and can be seen in the PBS Television Broadcast “Juilliard Centennial Celebration”. Honored to be included in three books, Sharel appears in “I Walked with Giants” by Jimmy Heath, “AM Jazz: Three Generations under the Lens” by Adrianna Mateo and “Freedom of Expression: Interviews with Women in Jazz” by Chris Becker. While in college she was chosen to attend IAJE Sisters in Jazz, Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead, Ravinia at Steans Institute & was the recipient of numerous Downbeat Student Music Awards.

In addition to performing Sharel is a devoted educator. Currently Professor of Saxophone and Piano at Elgin Community College in Elgin, Illinois, Sharel served internationally as the Woodwind Professor at Qatar Music Academy in Doha, Qatar from 2016-17. She has taught students abroad in Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico, China and Qatar and has given numerous clinics addressing saxophone techniques, jazz language, rhythm, harmony and music business.

Moving frequently throughout her childhood, Sharel’s family settled in Yukon, Oklahoma where she graduated high school. In 2000 she moved to New York City where she resided for 16 years, earning her degrees and playing on the NYC jazz scene. In 2017 she relocated to the Chicago area with her husband and son. Sharel is proud to be a Vandoren Performing Artist, RS Berkeley Virtuoso Saxophone Artist and AMT Microphone Artist.

Jordyn Davis is redefining the landscape of contemporary music with her extraordinary talent and groundbreaking achievements. A Detroit native, Davis stands out not only for her musicianship as a bassist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist but also for her trailblazing role as the first African-American woman to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Composition from Michigan State University. In an unprecedented feat, she became the first student at Michigan State to receive simultaneous degrees in Music Composition and Jazz Studies. After completing a Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies at Michigan State, where she served as a graduate teaching assistant under the mentorship of Rodney Whitaker, she relocated to Brooklyn, NY. In 2021, she was named one of two recipients of the inaugural Jazz Leader Fellowship at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. In 2024, she was named one of three inaugural New York Community Trust Van Lier Fellowship recipients with the American Composers Orchestra. 

Davis’s artistry defies categorization, effortlessly traversing genres from Jazz, Folk, Indie Rock, Musical Theater & Contemporary Classical to music for film and television. Her compositions, which embody a profound sense of empathy &  social consciousness, have been featured on PBS’s “Music for Social Justice” and commissioned by prestigious institutions such as the Kennedy Center, the New York Philharmonic, the Juilliard School Preparatory Division, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Michigan State University Bands, and Detroit Chamber Strings. Her impressive roster of collaborators & mentors in the music industry includes luminaries like Micheal Dease, Craig Harris, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Maria Schneider, Jerome Jennings, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lin Manuel-Miranda, John Kander, Jaime Lozano, Shirazette Tinnin,  and L Morgan Lee.

Beyond the stage and studio, Davis is deeply committed to education and mentorship. She has inspired countless young musicians through her work with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Girls Rock Detroit, and Science Gallery. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of music, individuality, empowerment, and community. Her dedication to nurturing the next generation of artists is as profound as her contributions to the music industry. With such accomplishments, Jordyn Davis is undoubtedly a name to watch in music.

Chris Glassman is a bass trombonist from Littleton, Colorado. He has performed with legendary acts such as Michael Bublé, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Diane Schuur, Kurt Elling, Danilo Perez, and many others on coveted stages such as Madison Square Garden and Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola. An avid improviser on bass trombone, Glassman joins the newest generation of jazz bass trombonists with three small-group jazz bandleader recordings on which he improvises on bass trombone. In addition, he has been commissioned to write arrangements for the Airmen of Note, Michael Bublé, and many jazz artists (Rodney Whitaker, David Sanborn, and many others). 

Passionate about mentorship, Glassman has been on the faculty at Brevard Music Center and has taught jazz and led ensembles at multiple universities, including Michigan State University and Saginaw Valley State University. He aims to help create resources through social media for aspiring trombonists. Among other things, he leads a podcast, has worked in arts entrepreneurship, and has a deep love for metal music, board games, his wife, Christine, and two cats, Muffin and Dobby.

Jocelyn Gould is an accomplished guitarist, vocalist and bandleader. From Winnipeg, Canada, she grew up singing every chance she got, and became enthralled with the guitar as a teenager. She cites Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass as primary influences of the instrument. After completing her Masters Degree in Jazz Studies at Michigan State University in 2018 and shortly after winning 1st place in the Wilson Centre International Guitar Competition, Jocelyn relocated to New York City.

Jocelyn maintains an active international performance career, including performances at the St. Lucia Jazz Festival, the Detroit Jazz Festival and the TD Toronto Jazz Festival. She has performed with Grammy nominated vocalist Freddy Cole, Trumpeter Etienne Charles and DownBeat Rising Star trombonist Michael Dease. She is featured on Michael Dease’s record “Never More Here”, Diego Rivera’s album “Connections” and Randy Napoleon’s album “Common Tones”. Jocelyn’s debut recording, ‘Elegant Traveler’, was released in March 2020.

In fall 2019, Jocelyn relocated back to Canada and began a position as professor and “Head of Guitar Department” at Humber College in Toronto, where she teaches courses, private lessons and manages the guitar department.

Step into the vibrant world of Dr. Lenora Helm Hammonds, globally celebrated in the music industry as Lenora Zenzalai (Zen-ZAY-Lay) Helm – a true force of nature whose passion ignites every space she enters! This award-winning vocal jazz musician, prolific composer, inspiring conductor, and captivating TEDx speaker isn’t just an artist; she’s a beacon for creatives everywhere. With the prestigious titles of a two-time Fulbright Music Specialist and U.S. Jazz Ambassador, coupled with her innovative leadership as an independent record label CEO, Lenora epitomizes what it means to craft a life of purpose through artistic dedication. But her influence doesn’t stop there. Driven by a desire to empower her fellow artists, Lenora has masterfully developed digital courses (at LenoraHelm.online) designed to transform the journey for Creatives who have tasted moderate success but grapple with inconsistent income, stress, and the looming threat of burnout, or artists who use her membership program to keep their skills current.

Lenora, a Chicago native, is a vocal jazz musician, composer, arranger, teaching artist and educator who currently serves as Dean of the Professional Education Division at Berklee College of Music. From 2005 to 2024, she has held various positions at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), including tenured Full Professor in the Department of Music and Jazz Studies Program, and Chair of the Department of Music and Director of Graduate Programs, Jazz Studies. Distinctions include awards as a GRAMMY Music Educator of the Year quarterfinalist, and Jazz Educator of Distinction award recipient from Jazz Music Awards foundation, as well as   being a Berklee College of Music Gospel Hall of Fame Inductee. She continues to serve on the Jazz Vocal Advisory Board at Juilliard Jazz. Her academic leadership is conjoined to four decades as a jazz recording and performing artist p/k/a Lenora Zenzalai Helm with eight solo albums (with a ninth collaborative album with The Sistering, slated for Spring 2026), and appearances on over a dozen jazz and contemporary music albums. Composer career highlights include being a MacDowell composer fellow, Chamber Music America/Doris Duke’s New Jazz Works composer award recipient.

She made her Carnegie Hall debut as conductor in the 2024 MidAmerica Productions season culminating over twenty years conducting vocal and instrumental jazz bands and ensembles. Her conducting accolades include directing international and national high school and collegiate all-state jazz competitions, including Jack Rudin Collegiate Jazz Championships, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 2020, she founded her own big band, Tribe Jazz Orchestra, boasting about half of the members being iconic women in jazz. As a busy recording artist, she has eight acclaimed jazz recordings as a leader,  and appears on dozens of CDs with the biggest names in Jazz, including Ron Carter, Dave Liebman, Donald Brown, Andrew Hill, Stanley Cowell and Branford Marsalis. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Film Scoring/Voice from Berklee College of Music, a Master of Music, Jazz Performance/East Carolina University and Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education from Boston University. As a published author her work is at the intersection of jazz, intercultural maturity, and digital humanities. Look for her vocal jazz performance pedagogy textbook Sing Vocal Jazz, Teach Vocal Jazz slated for early 2026 on Routledge/Taylor-Francis. Catch her TEDxBerklee Boston talk What Jazz Improvisation Can Teach You About Communication.. She makes her home between Durham, NC and Boston, MA with her husband Fred Hammonds.
lenorahelm.com

Geoffrey Keezer is a GRAMMY®-winning pianist, composer, arranger and producer based inNew York City. A native of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, he began playing piano and composing at an early age. After briefly attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Keezer moved to New York in 1989, becoming the last pianist with the legendary Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Keezer has toured and recorded with Ray Brown, Roy Hargrove, Joshua Redman, Diana Krall, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Barbara Hendricks, Wayne Shorter, Dianne Reeves, David Sanborn, Chris Botti, Sting, Joe Locke and Christian McBride.

Keezer’s 2009 album Áurea (ArtistShare) was nominated for a Best Latin Jazz Album GRAMMY® award. Geoffrey’s 2013 solo piano release, Heart of the Piano (Motema Records), seeks to redefine solo jazz piano as a personal and interactive showcase of melody, energy and groove, while his 2018 album On My Way to You (MarKeez Records) is a stunning set of music featuring his trio with the addition of guest vocalist Gillian Margot. Keezer’s album Playdate (MarKeez) earned a 2023 GRAMMY® in the Best Instrumental Composition category for his song “Refuge”.

2024 saw the release of two recordings, Live at Birdland (MarKeez) by the Geoffrey Keezer Trio and Open During Construction, an innovative hybrid of an album and online composition course created in partnership with openstudiojazz.com. Keezer and Margot joined forces again in 2025 for an album of duets, Gillian Margot and Geoffrey Keezer (MarKeez). This sublime duo recital by Margot and Keezer is the fourth release on their eponymous imprint label, and marks a felicitous inflection point in the discographies of both musicians, each an erudite master of their instrument. Keezer has also produced and arranged three GRAMMY®-nominated recordings with vocalist Denise Donatelli, and released a series of collaborative albums drawing influences from Hawaiian, Okinawan and Afro-Peruvian folk traditions.

Geoffrey’s compositions have been commissioned by the Mainly Mozart Festival, Art of Elánensemble, Saint Joseph Ballet, Zeltsman Marimba Festival, Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra and Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. His music can be heard in the films What Happens in Vegas, The Wedding Year, and Inhale, and in numerous TV shows including The Young and the Restless, Parks and Recreation, Casual, House of Lies, Call Me Kat, American Crime Story, Clarice, and The Originals.

Time Magazine wrote, “Geoffrey has more than enough virtuosity and sheer musical wit andintelligence to weave all of his apparently disparate strands of influence into an original and compelling whole”, and pop icon Sting said “In the universe of piano players that I have been exposed to over the years, Geoffrey has proved himself to be not only a superb technician andimproviser, but also above and beyond this, a composer and conceptualist who can maintain the overall line and the DNA of the song in everything he plays. A musician’s musician.”

Geoffrey Keezer is a faculty member of The Juilliard School and is a Yamaha artist.

Award winning New York City based bassist and composer Mark Lewandowski originally hails from Nottingham, England. A graduate of the Guildhall School of Music in London and New York’s prestigious Juilliard School, he has earned the respect of his peers and elders alike as a creative, supportive and individual sideman and bandleader. After graduating with a first class honors degree from the Guildhall School, Mark had the great honor of being awarded the Yamaha Jazz Award, which was presented to him by the UK Government at the Houses of Parliament.

Since relocating to New York City, Lewandowski’s performance credits include such luminaries as Joe Chambers, David Liebman, George Cables, Lew Tabackin, Cyrus Chestnut, Steve Wilson, Buddy Greco, The Mingus Big Band, Peter Bernstein, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Jeremy Pelt, Billy Drummond, Javon Jackson, Kirk MacDonald, Mark Whitfield, Ed Cherry, Jon Faddis, Willie Jones III, Sullivan Fortner, Freddie Hendrix, Joe Magnarelli, Stacy Dillard, Josh Evans, Philip Harper, Nasheet Waits, Dayna Stephens, Mike Ledonne, Vic Juris, Frank Lacy, Rick Germanson, Wayne Escoffery Sherman Irby, Joe Cohn, Joseph Farnsworth, David Hazeltine, Johnny O’Neal, Wayne Escoffery, Eric Alexander, Steve Nelson, Warren Wolf, Philip Harper, Sheila Jordan, JD Allen, Jeb Patton, Grant Stewart, Bruce Harris, Benny Green, Aaron Goldberg, Dave Kikoski and Jerry Weldon.

Lewandowski has also performed frequently as a member of Pulitzer Prize winning trumpeter Wynton Marsalis’ quartet including performances in such esteemed venues and festivals as London’s Barbican Hall, Cheltenham Festival and The Institute of Peace, Washington D.C.

He has toured internationally in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and South America and is frequently found on many of New York City’s famed stages including Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Village Vanguard, Birdland, The Jazz Standard, 55 Bar, Smalls, Mezzrow, Smoke and Minton’s Playhouse.

Mark’s work as a bandleader include three releases – 2017 saw the release of Mark’s debut release ‘Waller’ on the Whirlwind Recordings label. This debut album solidified his reputation as a stellar bandleader and received rave reviews internationally. Featuring two of the most respected musicians on the European jazz circuit, pianist Liam Noble and drummer Paul Clarvis, Waller is an exploration of the music of one of the early innovators of the jazz genre, Thomas ‘Fats’ Waller. The album featured highly in critical polls ranking at Number 3 in Chris Phillips’ Jazz FM Charts.

2021 saw the highly successful release of Lewandowski’s second record as band leader, ‘Under One Sky’ which has attracted press attention and airplay internationally. Comprised of exclusively original material, the album features two of the young stars of the New York City jazz scene – award winning pianist, Addison Frei and Washington D.C born drummer Kush Abadey. Lewandowski’s unique and personal compositional style is at the foreground of this album which was described by the UK’s renowned critic, John Fordham (The Guardian, Jazzwise Magazine) as ‘a sublime confection on compositional class and individual improv skill’.

A highly anticipated duo recording (the third under Lewandowski’s own name) featuring ‘Waller’ collaborator, Liam Noble was released in 2023. An imaginative reimagining of music associated with Billie Holiday, featuring U.K vocalist Heidi Vogel, the album ‘A Bouquet (For Lady Day)’ was celebrated widely by the international jazz community and received much critical interest from press both sides of the Atlantic.

2022 Saw Lewandowski again on the international stage, as 1st prize winner of the prestigious UNISA International Jazz Strings Competition held in Pretoria, South Africa. In this 40th year of the competition’s existence, he was awarded the prize by South Africa’s former president, Thabo Mbeki. The Jury also awarded Mark 2 out of 3 of the competition’s special prizes – ‘Best Performance of a Ballad’ and ‘Best Performance of a Rhythm Changes’ respectively.

Other career highlights include his 2015 commission by the EFG London Jazz Festival, reimagining the music of one of his great influences, Charles Mingus; performing as special guest soloist in Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Hall as part of Igor Butman’s Future of Jazz Festival; leading his trio at the 2018 Rochester International Jazz Festival as part of the ‘Made in the UK series; work for the British Arts Council in the Middle East, and two successful trips to Shanghai, China as a ‘Cultural Ambassador’ for Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Mark Lewandowski’s multiple recording credits occupy a diverse range of the jazz genre, ranging from such major artists as Joe Chambers (who Mark is featured on his 2023 Blue Note Records release ‘Dance Kobina’) to American cult composer and saxophonist John Zorn (with whom Mark is featured on his Tzadik release ‘The Book of Beriah’). Also closer to home in the U.K with the Leo Richardson Quartet, who’s record ‘The Chase’ was selected as one of the Sunday Times ‘Best 100 Albums of the Year’ in all genres.

2025 signaled Mark’s debut on Broadway as he performed at the legendary Winter Garden Theater in New York City as part of George Clooney’s Tony nominated play ‘Good Night and Good Luck’. Box office records were broken by this production which became the highest grossing show in Broadway History. Following a successful run of 99 shows, the play again made history as the first of its kind, streaming live on CNN to 7.34 million around the world.

As an educator, Lewandowski is on the faculty of the renowned Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz Studies at the University of Hartford, Connecticut. He has also had experience teaching in a number of major institutions including Torino Conservatory (Italy), Birmingham Conservatoire (U.K) and his position as ‘Professor of Bass Studies’ at the prestigious Hampton School. Mark has lead workshops in cultural exchange visits to China in-front of 2000 elementary school children. He also has worked for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz for Young People and Essentially Ellington programs in and around New York City.

Known for her lyrical and soulful playing, Juno Award-winning clarinetist Virginia MacDonald has established herself as a rising star of her generation. As a highly in-demand bandleader, sidewoman, and composer, Virginia keeps a regular performance schedule across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Virginia has performed at jazz festivals globally including performances at Detroit Jazz Festival, Festival de Jazz Primavera, Rochester Jazz Festival, Toronto Jazz Festival, and Montreal Jazz Festival, to name a few. Virginia has had the pleasure of performing abroad extensively in India, Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy, and the UK, and has performed at historic and prestigious venues including Koerner Hall, Ronnie Scott’s, Birdland, Bimhuis, Dizzy’s Club, Le Duc Des Lombards, Jazzclub Unterfahrt, and Smalls.

In 2020, Virginia was selected as the first-prize winner of the International Clarinetist Corona Competition; judges included Anat Cohen, Victor Goines, Ken Peplowski, and Doreen Ketchens. Virginia was recently chosen as one of three finalists for the Toronto Art Foundation’s 2024 Breakthrough Jazz Artist Award. In 2023, Virginia was selected to headline the International Clarinet Association’s 50th anniversary celebration at ClarinetFest in Denver, Colorado.

Virginia has recorded and performed with esteemed artists including Kirk Lightsey, Michael Dease, Ira Coleman, Dick Oatts, Harold Mabern, Geoffrey Keezer, Joe Magnarelli, Derrick Gardner, Bruce Barth, Rodney Whitaker, Xavier Davis, Quincy Davis, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Bill Cunliffe, Randy Napoleon, Jon Gordon, Kirk MacDonald, Pat Labarbera, Neil Swainson, and Terry Clarke. Virginia is a member of the Canadian Jazz Collective, a seven-piece ensemble comprised of award-winning and established Canadian jazz musicians. Virginia was featured on the Canadian Jazz Collective’s debut album “Septology”, which was nominated for a Juno Award for Jazz Album of the Year in 2024.

Virginia was featured on Caity Gyorgy’s 2022 Juno Award-winning album “Now Pronouncing” and her 2023 Juno Award-winning follow-up “Featuring”. Virginia has been a recent and frequent collaborator of Grammy Award-winning trombonist Michael Dease, and appeared on his 2023 album “The Other Shoe: The Music of Gregg Hill” and his 2024 release “Found in Space: The Music of Gregg Hill”. Virginia’s composition “Up High, Down Low” was featured on Michael Dease’s 2023 release “Swing Low”. Virginia has appeared on twenty-plus albums as a sidewoman.

Virginia’s debut album as a bandleader is set to be released in 2025 on Cellar Live, and features luminaries Geoffrey Keezer on piano and Ira Coleman on bass.

In addition to her busy performance schedule, Virginia is an in-demand educator and has led classes and workshops as a visiting artist at universities and post-secondary music programs internationally. She has given masterclasses at SF Conservatory of Music, Laval University, Université de Sherbrooke, McGill University, University of Manitoba, St. FX University, University of Toronto, VSO School of Music, the Global Music Institute, and the True School of Music.

Virginia is an endorsed artist for Buffet Crampon, Rovner Products, and D’addario Woodwinds.

Maria Marmarou is a graduate of Temple University, where she studied with Justin Faulkner and Steve Fidyk, earning both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. Maria has shared the stage with notable artists such as Joey DeFrancesco, Dick Oatts, Tim Warfield, Kurt Elling, Catharine Russell, Orrin Evans, Terell Stafford, Carmen Bradford and the Count Basie Orchestra, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, among others. Her performances have taken her to prestigious venues including Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Kimmel Center.

In 2023, Maria was honored with the Earl Hines Outstanding Musician Award at the Jack Rudin Collegiate Competition at JALC. In January 2024, she was selected to perform with the Sisters in Jazz Collegiate Jazz Combo at the 15th Annual JEN Conference in New Orleans, under the direction of Bria Skonberg. Maria is endorsed by Sabian Cymbals.

The recipient of five individual GRAMMY nominations and a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship, Chuck Owen’s compositions have been performed widely; by the Netherlands’ Metropole Orch., WDR Big Band, Brussels Jazz Orch., Aarhus Big Band, Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orch. and numerous others. Chuck’s evocative and intensely personal work is steeped in the jazz tradition but draws liberally and playfully from a diverse array of influences.

Since 1995, Owen’s primary creative outlet has been his own 19-piece Jazz Surge. Conductor as well as primary composer/arranger, he has produced each of the Surge’s 7 highly feted CDs. Whispers On the Wind, released in 2017, was recognized with 4 GRAMMY Nominations while named #1 Big Band Album in the annual Jazz Station Awards. River Runs (2013), a stunning 5-movement genre-bending orchestral/big band hybrid and The Comet’s Tail (2009) also received GRAMMY nominations. Their most recent recording Within Us (2021) was celebrated with a sold-out performance at NY’s Birdland while multiple critics acclaimed it one of the year’s best jazz releases.

Retired from the University of South Florida where he taught for 40 years, Chuck was accorded the title of “Distinguished Professor Emeritus”. He continues to serve as President of ISJAC (International Society of Jazz Arrangers & Composers), an organization he helped found having formerly served as President of IAJE and panelist for the Pulitzer Prize in Music, the NEA, ASCAP, the Recording Academy, and numerous others.

Renderings, Chuck’s 2023 album project in collaboration with the renown WDR Big Band, received rave reviews worldwide, making the lists of several annual top 10 releases. Meanwhile, ReSurgence, his new septet featuring several members from the Jazz Surge along with the luminescent vocalist, Kate McGarry, have their first album, Magic Light, set to debut in Spring 2024 amidst a flurry of performances & tours.

As a trumpet player, composer and educator, Anthony Stanco is a rising talent in today’s music scene. Anthony’s brilliant trumpet style is exciting and demonstrates his understanding of the jazz tradition. Anthony is equally passionate as an educator and composer.

Anthony Stanco started playing trumpet in the fifth grade in the Fraser Public School System. His musical education was elevated when he joined the Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra and Civic Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Marcus Belgrave and Rodney Whitaker. When Anthony was in high school, he established himself as a professional musician in the Detroit area. He performed as a leader at the 2006 Birmingham Jazz Festival with his quintet, as well as the 2007 Detroit Jazz Festival. Anthony was also selected as the top high school soloist during the 2007 Detroit Jazz Festival for his performance with the Fraser Jazz Ensemble.

After graduating from high school in 2007, Anthony was accepted at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music to pursue his bachelors in jazz performance and also studied privately with trumpet technician Laurie Frink. In 2014, he finished his graduate degree at Michigan State University where he had the chance to learn from jazz greats including Rodney Whitaker, Reginald Thomas, Michael Dease, and Etienne Charles.

Anthony’s professional work has consisted of concerts, workshops, and studio sessions. In 2008 Anthony recorded a live album with Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Bobby Sanabria called Kenya Revisited LIVE! This record was nominated for a Latin Grammy. He has also recorded with renowned trombone player Michael Dease and has been featured on his latest CD entitled “Relentless”. Anthony has performed with world class musicians such as Winard Harper, Michael Feinstein, Tye Tribbett, and Aretha Franklin to name a few. In June 2013 Anthony took the 1st place prize in the International Trumpet Guild, Jazz soloist division. Anthony is also an established composer and has recently premiered his five-movement suite entitled Look up Hannah: A Suite for the Protester.

As an Educator, Anthony was privileged to start at a young age. He had his first private student when he was only twelve years old and continues to teach privately to students of all ages. At Manhattan School of Music, he was part of their outreach program, Music Arts-In-Education, and taught at various public schools in New York City. In 2011 he returned to the Civic Jazz Orchestra as a mentor and director of Civic Jazz Combo B. Anthony was also a graduate assistant in Jazz Studies at Michigan State University and also teaches at the MSU, Community Music School in Lansing, MI. He has also had the opportunity to teach at Ohio State University, Birch Creek Music Performance Center, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and many other music programs.

Currently, Anthony is proud to represent the government’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. Anthony Stanco and The Crucial Elements have done two international tours with American Music Abroad. On tour they partake in cultural exchange, masterclasses, and live concerts.

Anthony has recently released his first record entitled The Crucial Elements. He produced the record himself and released it on his record label, AJS Records.

Hailed by major publications such as Stereophile Magazine as “Sencalar and Glassman sound like 21st century grandchildren of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding” and the International Trombone Associations Journal as “…In addition to both trombonists’ virtuosity, they perform with convincing melodic and harmonic mastery, meriting their solo work several listens.” Altin Sencalar remains in high demand across the country as a performer, educator, and composer.

Altin attended Texas State University where he studied with one of his first mentors, Freddie Mendoza. While attending Texas State University he was able to gain entrance in the thriving Austin music scene and began to emerge as a new talent. Altin then moved to Austin, TX where he attended the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin where he studied under the tutelage of Andre Hayward. He became a fixture to the Austin music scene after being named a “2017 top 10 Austin Music Awards horn player,” recording his debut album “Introducing Altin Sencalar” in Austin, TX, and becoming known as a top call trombonist in the area. After graduating from the Butler School of Music he was given the opportunity to travel with the University of Texas Jazz Orchestra as a soloist to the Montreaux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz festival, and Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, France. After graduation Altin, gained admittance to Michigan State University as the Graduate Assistant to Michael Dease and Rodney Whitaker in pursuit of his Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies. While at Michigan State University, Altin co-founded “The Sencalar/Glassman Quintet” who have been the recipients of over 3,000 dollars in funding from the East Lansing Cultural Arts FY19 Grant and the MSU Running Start grant. This grant gave the quintet the opportunity to tour all East Lansing elementary schools and use their knowledge of jazz to educate the younger generation in hopes for the students to have an artistic and creative outlet for students who may not be exposed to jazz music.

While pursuing higher education Altin also gained international and national recognition being granted honors and prizes for the American Trombone Workshop jazz solo divisions, International Trombone Association’s jazz solo Carl Fontana competition and J.J. Johnson competition, the Kai Winding trombone ensemble competition, Texas State Trombone Symposium Michael Rath jazz solo competition, Yamaha Young Performing Artist, Downbeat Student Music Awards, and International Tuba-Euphonium Association Rich Matteson Jazz Euphonium competition

Altin has performed, toured, and/or recorded with DeeDee Bridgewater, Rodney Whitaker, Xaiver Davis, Teri Lynn Carrington, Christian McBride, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Velvalletes, Ne-Yo, Big Sean, Martha Reeves, Savion Glover, Ali Jackson, Steve Wilson, Rene Marie, Joe Jonas, Wayne Bergeron, Rick Margitza, Michael Dease, Hector Tricoche, Steve Davis, Conrad Herwig, Dave Taylor, Randy Napoleon, Andre Hayward, Diego Rivera, Etienne Charles, MSU Professors of Jazz, Brandee Younger, the Gathering Orchestra, Walter White, and many others

Altin holds a Bachelors in Music Performance from the University of Texas at Austin and a Masters in Music Performance in Jazz Studies from Michigan State University. He has held teaching positions at Michigan State University, Brevard Jazz Institute, The Dr.Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Summer Jazz Intensive, Jazz & Creative Institute, Central Texas College, and the University of Mary Hardin Baylor. Altin is a performing artist for Earasers Earplugs, Robinson’s Remedies, and was named a 2017 Yamaha Young Performing Artist. Altin is currently on the music faculty at the University of Mary Hardin Baylor as Adjunct Professor of Music where he is the Director of Jazz Ensembles and the Applied Trombone Instructor.

“Music is an expression of the soul and I always try to speak through my horn,” says Gregory Tardy. “I once heard an older musician say ‘it is better to be felt than to be heard’. I never forgot that. That is my approach to playing any style of music.”

Born into a musical family, Gregory Tardy began his musical career studying classical clarinet. In high school, Gregory excelled in music, winning many awards and scholarships offers. While studying with renowned clarinetists Russell Dagon and Jack Snavely, Tardy began preparing for a symphony career. Over time, he began to be asked to play saxophone, to fill in missing gaps in various ensembles. Although he never practiced the saxophone seriously, Tardy began getting calls to play local funk gigs in the Milwaukee area. At the prodding of his older brother, Tardy finally listened to the duo recording of John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk playing “Monk’s Mood”, and then immediately determined to be a jazz musician.

His passion for the saxophone took over his studies and soon his clarinet was gathering dust. At this time, he moved to St. Louis and after a year of performing on the jazz and blues scene, he decided to move back to his birthplace, New Orleans, in order to focus his jazz studies even further. “This proved to be great move”, Tardy says. “ There were all of these outstanding players down there-many of which went on to be well known, like Nicholas Payton, Brian Blade, Victor Goines, Mark Turner, Delfeayo and Jason Marsalis and far too many others to mention. Many, like I, came to study with Ellis Marsalis; some were just hanging out. It was there that I really started to get my playing together.” While in New Orleans, Tardy also played with some of the local brass bands, did some gigging with the Neville Brothers, Allen Toussaint, and groups of all styles. But he never stopped pursuing jazz.

In 1992, Tardy recorded his first solo project, Crazy Love. 1992 is also the year that he was picked up by Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, a relationship that lasted several years. During the time with the legendary Elvin Jones, Tardy felt that it was finally time to move to the Big Apple. In New York, he went on to perform and record with an extremely large array of prominent artists including: Tom Harrell, Dave Douglas, Wynton Marsalis, Jay McShann, Steve Coleman, Betty Carter, James Moody, Bill Frisell, Rashied Ali, John Patitucci, and many more. In 1999, Tardy began to play in various bands led by the great Andrew Hill; a relationship that lasted many years and produced several highly acclaimed recordings. He has also performed and/or recorded alongside many other notable saxophonists, such as Joe Lovano, Mark Turner, Chris Potter, Dewey Redman, Ravi Coltrane, and many others. In more recent years, Tardy has gone full circle, bringing his clarinet out of retirement, using it on recordings by Tom Harrell, Ohad Talmor/Steve Swallow, Stefon Harris, Chris Potter, and Andrew Hill.

“In my band, I try to explore new things, although I usually keep the tradition in the back of my head, as well. I really respect the tradition…but I try not to let it stop me from going for stuff that I hear. I also respect what’s going on now, in jazz-and it influences me.” In March 1998, Tardy’s first major label project as a leader, Serendipity, was released on Impulse Records. He received great critical acclaim for this record and was nominated as Best Debut Artist for the New York Jazz Awards. In the fall he toured Europe on the Rising Stars Tour and when he returned he began to plan his next record. A casualty of the merger of Verve and GRP, he decided to record for a smaller label, J Curve Records. His third album, The Hidden Light, was released in April 2000 to rave reviews. In 2001, Tardy explored freer elements of jazz on a CD entitled, Abundance. Recorded on the Palmetto label, this CD also received much critical acclaim. Four years later, Tardy began recording for the Steeplechase label. His releases to date are: The Truth, Steps of Faith, He Knows My Name, The Strongest Love, Monuments, Standards & More, Hope, With Songs of Joy, and Chasing After the Wind. He recently recorded a duo project with BIll Frisell which will be released in 2019 on vinyl for the Newvelle Records Label. Tardy continues to perform internationally as well as teach at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

“When I listened to jazz over 20 years ago, it put me on a journey to learn, explore and create in the style. And the beauty of the genre is that you can spend a lifetime learning, growing and exploring and it never gets boring.” All About Jazz sums up Tardy’s career so far by writing, “Tardy already has his own voice and is on track to help write the next chapter in jazz history. This is exactly what more and more potential jazz listeners should be hearing.”

Internationally renowned bassist and Mack Avenue recording artist, Rodney Whitaker, currently holds the titles of Professor of Jazz Bass and Director of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University where he has built one of the leading jazz degree programs and performing faculty in the United States of America. He is also the Artistic Director of the Michigan State University Professors of Jazz, former Artistic Advisor of Jazz @ Wharton Center, Director of Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Civic Jazz Orchestra and a member of the Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra. Whitaker received his first national recognition performing with the Harrison/Blanchard Quintet.

Building on his Detroit roots and enormous talent, Whitaker went on to earn an international reputation as one of the world’s finest jazz double bass performer. He completed a seven-year tenure as bassist with Wynton Marsalis’ Septet and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He has toured the world over the last twenty-five years, collaborating and performing with legendary jazz artists such as Jimmy Heath, Eric Reed, Cyrus Chestnut, Vanessa Rubin, Kathleen Battle, Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, Jon Faddis, Donald Harrison, Terence Blanchard, Rodney Jones, Wycliffe Gordon, Kenny Burrell, Bob James, Benny Golson, Regina Carter, Pat Matheny, Nicholas Payton, Jimmy Cobb, Joshua Redman, Stephon Harris, Johnny O’Neal, Marcus Belgrave, James Carter, Steve Turre, Claudio Roditi, Junko Onishi, Harry Allen, Ronnie Matthews, Chick Corea, Kenny Garrett, Kevin Mahogany, Ingrid Jensen, Barry Harris, Ron Blake, Jeff Clayton, Dana Hall, Gerald Wilson, Sean Jones, Niki Harris, Wessell Anderson, Don Vappie, Johnny O’Neal, Cedar Walton, Renee Rosnes, Randy Brecker, Rickey Woodard, Bobby Shew, Gary Smulyan, Joe LaBarbera, Randy Napolean, Peter Martin, Nnenna Freelon, Donald Byrd, Branford Marsalis, Greg Hutchinson, Carl Allen, Herlin Riley, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Terrell Stafford, Tim Warfield, Bruce Barth, Jon Carl Hendricks, Roy Hargrove, the late greats: Dizzy Gelispie, Mulgrew Miller, Tommy Flanagan, John Lewis, Marian McPartland, Donald Walden, Joe Henderson, Hank Jones, Frank Morgan and Betty ‘Bebop’ Carter as well as performing with leading symphony orchestras world-wide.

A proven and committed jazz educator, Whitaker has presented numerous master classes across the nation at locations such as Duke University, Howard University, University of Iowa, University of Michigan, Barbican in London, the New School (NY), Lincoln Center, and the Detroit International Jazz Festival. In addition, he is a consultant with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in the development of the jazz education department, and has served on the faculties of University of Michigan and Juilliard Institute of Jazz.

New York–based drummer and Grammy nominee Matt Wilson is one of today’s most celebrated jazz artists. He is universally recognized for his musical and melodic drumming style as well as being a gifted composer, bandleader, producer, and teaching artist. His positive energy, sense of humor, and ability to explore a broad range of musical settings keeps him in constant demand. In addition, Wilson’s dedication to jazz has helped establish him as a beloved world ambassador for the music, on and off the bandstand.

Wilson leads the Matt Wilson Quartet, Arts and Crafts, Christmas Tree-O, and the Carl Sandburg Project. He is an integral part of bands led by Joe Lovano, John Scofield, Charlie Haden, Lee Konitz, Bob Stewart, Denny Zeitlin, Ron Miles, Marty Ehrlich, Ted Nash, Jane Ira Bloom, and Dena DeRose, among others. He has performed with many legends of music, including Herbie Hancock, Dewey Redman, Andrew Hill, Bobby Hutcherson, Elvis Costello, Cedar Walton, Kenny Barron, John Zorn, Marshall Allen, Wynton Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, and Hank Jones. Wilson has appeared on 250 CDs as a sideman, released nine as a leader for Palmetto Records, and been co-lead on five additional releases.